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kittkat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
Graphic: Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
Moderate: Classism and Outing
Minor: Police brutality
nefariousbee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
first, I'm a gen Z Czech person. I didn't live thru socialism but my parents did. at first, I was happy that the Slav authors finally seemed to start leaving ww2 behind and we can focus on more recent historical events that prominently shared our societies.
the issue is tho. this doesn't feel like a Pole wrote it. there's that typical self-righteousness of a westerner, writing about the underprivileged. and I hate it, it makes my hairs stand up, makes me see red.
and I'm sure there were good intentions, I'm sure the woke westerners will be swooning. but it feels like we're being put in a terrarium to be studied and pitied. it feels like it's saying that everyone who stayed is a loser or a bootlicker. it makes the westerners believe they'd also leave, like our protagonist, they would stand tall and proud. it does nothing to comment on the system, to try to create some nuance, to even describe the ordinary lives of the people to try the reader to relate.
there's much to say and I don't care enough to write and edit it all. if you want a book about socialist Poland, find a polish author, preferably one that lived thru it.
and let me recommend you Operation Hyacinth on the topic of being gay in socialist Poland.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Police brutality, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Medical trauma, and Sexual content
abicaro17's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Body shaming, Cancer, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Homophobia, War, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Antisemitism, Blood, Cursing, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Racism, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Death of parent, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, and Violence
maess's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Outing, Alcohol, Drug use, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Pregnancy, and Toxic relationship
shoohoob's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Outing
risemini's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Sexual content, Death of parent, Death, Homophobia, Outing, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
rieviolet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I quite liked the narrator's voice and I think that the author was very good at handling Ludwik's emotional journey, the final chapters especially hit me right in the feels, harder than I thought they would.
However, there were some plot points that I found a little bit weird
Also, I think that at times the language was a tad overwritten and going a bit too heavy on metaphors and similes.
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual content, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Police brutality, Death of parent, Drug use, Outing, Classism, Sexism, and Grief
Minor: Child abuse, Rape, War, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Blood, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, and Violence
leocmd17's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Toxic relationship, Hate crime, Infidelity, and Homophobia
Moderate: Antisemitism and Sexual content
gerzonvillegas's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Outing, Terminal illness, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, and Chronic illness
Minor: War, Animal death, Drug use, and Police brutality
fatfrog's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Death of parent
Minor: Drug use and Vomit